


Save Me

by hidingthetruthbehindamask



Category: Emmerdale, robron
Genre: M/M, Past Sexual Abuse, Self-Harm, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-31
Updated: 2016-05-17
Packaged: 2018-05-30 07:39:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6414811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hidingthetruthbehindamask/pseuds/hidingthetruthbehindamask
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After finding out Liv has been spying on him and Robert and has given Gordon evidence that could blow the whole court case apart Aaron can't take it anymore and decides enough is enough. Robert manages to save his life but the courts know want Aaron to undergo an evaluation to see if he is mentally well enough to give evidence.  Aaron isn't willing to open up about what's happened to him cue the doctor pairing Aaron up with someone who's been through a similar hell to himself will they be able to save each other?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> An idea I had while away on holiday only gotten the first two chapters written so far, before reading any further please be aware this chapter contains self-harm/suicide attempt if like myself you have struggled with this in the past or are trigged by it please be careful if you choose to read this and I don't want to upset anyone or put anybody in danger. Hope you enjoy this. please feel free to leave comments.

Chapter 1

He didn't want to be here and she knew that the moment she walked in the room. He'd placed himself on the window sill and was staring out of it, she sighed this was gonna be tricky and she knew it. She'd known before she even walked in the room that it was going to be tricky, it always was when the patient she'd been assigned had been made to come by the court. She was assigned the task of doing psych observations for witness in abuse cases to make sure they were mentally well enough to stand and give evidence. 

"Aaron? My name's Dr Harper. I'm going to be work with you during your time here." She said to him he looked at her for a moment before turning his attention back out of the window, great this was going to be a tricky one.

"Aaron? I know this is hard but I'm here to help you. But I can't do that if you don't talk to me." Dr Harper said softly. Aaron didn't even turn round this time just kept staring out of the window. She put his folder along with her notepad and pen down on the able and walked over to him she leaned against the window.

"You know this doesn't have to be difficult for either of us, I know it's hard truly I do. You don't know me, I don't know you yet you are expected to talk to me about everything you've been through. Why don't we start small hey? My name's Kelly Harper, nice to meet you." Kelly said offering him her hand which he reluctantly shook.

"Aaron, Aaron Livesy." Aaron said introducing himself to her.

"Nice to meet you Aaron, so should we start by going back to what lead to you being here in the first place?" Kelly asked and Aaron just went back to staring out of the window he knew exactly what had lead to him being here, he closed his eyes to stop the tears from falling down his face.as he mentally went back in his mind to where it had all started as he silently started out of the window.

Six weeks earlier

 

"I won't ask you again Liv. How do you know about Ryan?" Aaron asks his sister for what feels like the 100th time, Liv just keeps looking at the floor tears streaming down her face she's really messed up she's fallen for Gordon's lies and betrayed her brother and now she's dropped herself in it by mentioning Ryan who she's supposed to know nothing about so now she's gonna have to come clean to Aaron and he's not gonna like it.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." Liv whispers she can't bring herself to look at him cause she's ashamed. She didn't mean to betray him, she didn't mean to fall for her dad's lies but at the time they weren't lies she wanted so badly to believe that her dad was a good bloke! That it was everybody else that was lying but after he'd lost his temper with her earlier cause of her wanting to back out of helping him she knew now that everything everyone had said about him he was true, he was a monster. 

"Liv what have you done?!" Aaron asks her and he can feel the anger inside of him bubbling up he doesn't want to get angry with her cause she's his kid sister at the end of the day but he knows in the back of his mind what she's done before she even says a word.

"I've been spying on you. I've been spying on you trying  to get information to help dad in court, he got into my head. I wanted so badly to believe that it was all lies, that he was this amazing person. I'm sorry Aaron." Liv explains Aaron turns away from her putting his hands on the table cause if he doesn't put them somewhere where he can see them he's gonna punch something cause the anger and rage are boiling up inside of him, how could he not of seen it? How he could be so stupid that he didn't see the signs when Robert and his mum try to tell him that Liv couldn't be trusted. 

"I recorded your conversation with Robert yesterday, that's how I know about Ryan." Liv explained and Aaron punched his hands down on the table making Liv jump.

"Did you give him the recording? Did you give Gordon the recording of me and Robert talking about Ryan?!" Aaron shouted at her as Chas walked in the back. Liv just nodded Aaron ran a hand over his face

"I'm sorry!" Liv sobbed but Aaron didn't say anything just passed past her.

"Aaron, wait!" Chas called after him but he wasn't listening he just kept walking he needed to get away he made his way out of the pub and climbed into his car and drove away from the pub towards the scrapyard. His head was a mess, this couldn't be happening! He knew Robert's stupid mistake of paying Ryan to lie would come back to bite them in the arse! Gordon had the evidence he needed now to blow the whole court case apart and Aaron honestly couldn't handle this anymore. He couldn't handle the stress of the court case, he couldn't handle the fear of Gordon turning up whenever he wanted. It was never going to be over, Aaron was never going to be free, Gordon would be able to hurt him over and over again. He doesn't know how he got here cause it all feels like a blur but he's making his way into the office at the scrapyard and he's locking the office door. He sits himself at the desk and empties his pockets onto the desk. He opens the top desk drawer and he's met with the sigh of half a bottle of whisky, a bottle of sleeping tablets and his switch blade knife. He grabbed his self a glass and poured out a glass of whisky, he put the sleeping tablets and the switch blade down on the desk. He doesn't give himself time to think he just unscrews the lid of the sleeping tablets pouring out a hand full knocking them back with the whiskey and he keeps doing this till the bottle is empty. He grabs for the switch blade knife and holds it against his wrist and drags the blade across his wrist pressing it down hard so it cuts deep, he stares at the open wound as blood starts to pour out of it, the pain making his head buzz and he starts to feel lightheaded but he doesn't care anymore the only way he's ever gonna escape Gordon is if he's not longer around. He can feel his eyes becoming heavy and he just lay his head on the desk and closes his eyes and waits for it all to be over.

Robert knows the moment he arrives at the scrap yard and finds Aaron's car outside and the door to the office locked that something isn't right. He's coming looking for Aaron after receiving a message from a worried Chas explaining what's gone on between Aaron and Liv, Robert couldn't care less that Liv has given Gordon evidence that could get him set down all he cares about is Aaron and making sure he's ok.

"Aaron?" Robert asks as he knocks on the door. He doesn't get an answer and know he's starting to panic cause Aaron's not answering his phone either. He thinks about going to look for Adam to get the spare keys for the office of him but when he looks through the office window and sees Aaron slumped on the desk he knows their isn't time to go and look for Adam. Robert starts trying to boot the office door in, it takes him a few attempts before he manages to kick the door in, he rushes inside and is met with a sight that makes him sick to his stomach. Aaron's passed out at the desk with an empty bottle of sleeping tablets and an empty glass in front of him and Robert can see the blood dripping from the wound on his wrist onto the table.

"Oh my god Aaron!" Robert rushes to his side, he checks to see if Aaron is still breathing, he's barley breathing and feels cold to touch. Robert shakes him and Aaron groans he's semi conscience. Robert pulls out his phone and calls for an ambulance he's shaking and in tears and begs for them to hurry up.

"God Aaron, what have you done? Why have you done this hey?" Robert says trying to get Aaron talking and trying to keep him awake like the woman on the phone has told him to do.

"Can't let him hurt me again." Aaron mumbles but Robert understand's what he's said Robert lets more tears fall as he strokes Aaron's cheek

"I won't let him hurt you Aaron! You didn't have to do this, God please Aaron just stay with me ok?! Help's coming just stay with me... I can't lose you... I love you." Robert chocks out in between sobs, Aaron opens his eyes which feel like they are being weighed shut but he forces them open so he can look at Robert.

"I'm sorry... Don't forget me... I love you." Aaron whispers before closing his eyes again, Robert shakes him but this time doesn't get a response as the paramedics burst in. They move Robert out of the way and lie Aaron on the floor so they can begin CPR. Robert's stands and watches them running his fingers through his hair

"Come on Aaron, please come back to me... You can't tell me you love me and then leave me." Robert whispers pleading with Aaron

"I've got a pulse and he's breathing again. Do you know what he's taken?" The paramedic asks Robert as his colleague gets to work on the wound on Aaron's arm trying to stop the bleeding before Aaron's body goes into shock from the blood loss.

"A bottle of sleeping pills, I dunno what else I just found him like this.. Please you have to save him... I can't lose him... Please I'm begging you save him." Robert pleads as the tears keep on coming.

"Let's get him to the hospital." The paramedic said giving Robert a small smile, Robert just nodded as the paramedic lifted Aaron onto a stretcher and they carried him out to the ambulance. 

"Can I come with him?" Robert asked as they bundled Aaron into the back of the ambulance.

"Course you can."

Robert jumped into the back of the ambulance and sat down across from Aaron, he grabbed hold of Aaron's hand and squeezed it tight.

"I'm here Aaron, it's gonna be ok I promise." Robert whispered as the ambulance made it's way to the hospital. Robert just started at Aaron silent, he couldn't believe this had happened again... He couldn't believe Aaron had tried to take his own life because of that scumbag! Anger and rage were building up inside of him alongside sadness and fear. Shit Chas! He pulled out his phone and found her number in his contacts and rang her to fill her in on what had happened, she was hysterical and said she'd meet him at the hospital before hanging up. As they were pulling into the hospital the monitor Aaron was hooked up to started beeping out of control. Robert didn't even have time to ask what was happening cause the paramedics were rushing Aaron out of the ambulance into the hospital.

"What's going on? Please somebody tell me what's going on!" Robert cried as Aaron was wheeled away into recuse.

"His body has gone into shock because of the amount of blood he's lost and it caused his heart to go into cardiac arrest. We are going to do all we can for him." The nurse explained and Robert felt dizzy, this wasn't happening. He couldn't lose Aaron, not now not after everything they'd been through.

"I need to see him, please you have to let me see him!" Robert pleaded with the nurse.

"I'm sorry, I can't let you in there. You're gonna have to wait here I'm afraid I'll come and find you as soon as I have news. He's in good hands now." The nurse said pointing in the direction of some chairs before she hurried away. Robert didn't even manage to sit on one of the chairs because his legs gave way underneath him and he crumbled to the floor sobbing. He felt sick to his stomach, his Aaron could be dying or even worse dead and it was all that scumbag's fault but Robert promised himself as he sat there on the cold hospital floor in tears waiting for news that Gordon was going to pay for this! Robert was gonna make damn sure of it.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Aaron's loved ones wait for news on Aaron, Robert wants Gordon to pay to hell with the consequences can Cain talk him down before he makes things a thousand times worse?

Chapter 2

 

"Where is he? Where's Aaron?!" Chas shouted at Robert as she rushed towards him, he'd managed to get himself up off the floor and on to one of the chairs as Chas crashed through the doors followed by Cain, Paddy and Adam and Vic. Vic rushed over to Robert and hugged him, she knew how much Aaron meant to her brother and she could tell just by looking at him that he was in bits.

"They took him away. Nurse said his body's gone into shock cause of the loss of blood and he's heart's gone into cardiac arrest. She said she'd come and get me when she had news." Robert explained tears falling from his eyes. Chas just broke down crying, paddy put his arm around her comforting her.

"My baby boy, how could he do this to himself?" Chas asked and the rage and anger inside of Robert was boiling up and up and was overflowing at this point.

"Gordon. Gordon made him do this. And I'm gonna make damn sure he pays for this."' Robert said pushing himself to his feet and making his way through the double doors towards the exit he didn't get very far when Cain came charging after him and pinned him against the wall.

"I know what you're thinking, don't bother he's not worth it! He'll get what's coming to him believe me, right now though as much as I don't like it after the stunt you pulled with that Ryan lad Aaron needs you here. He needs you Sugden, so go and sit down and we'll sort Gordon out once Aaron is on the mend got it?" Cain explained, Robert was breathing heavily he hated it but Cain had a point, Aaron was more important right now. Making sure Aaron was ok and being here for Aaron was more important than the thousand ways he was thinking of hurting Gordon in his head right now. Cain let him go and he made his way back to the others Chas was still crying and Vic breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that her brother had come back. They must have been sat in silence for what felt like hours when the nurse from earlier finally walked towards them

"Aaron Livesy's family?" The nurse asked Chas got to her feet.

"Yeah I'm his mum, how is he?" Chas asked her eyes were bright red and puffy from all the crying she'd done.

"He's stable but still in a critical condition, he's lost a lot of blood. We managed to get his heart re started and we had to pump his stomach to get rid of the sleeping tablets before they did any serious damage to his body. The next twenty four hours are critical." The nurse explained Chas was shaking and Robert was sat clenching his fist together cause he wanted to kill Gordon now more than ever.

"Can I see him?" Chas asked

"Of course he's still pretty out of it but he should be waking up soon. If you'd like to follow me." The nurse said before walking in the direction of Aaron's hospital room followed by Chas and Paddy.

"You should go as well. I'm sure he'll want to see you." Vic said to Robert putting a hand on his shoulder, Robert just shrugged her off.

"I'll see him later, I've got somewhere I need to be." Robert said and he was up and walking out of the hospital as fast as he could, Cain and Adam had gone to get everyone a hot drink so he needed to be quick otherwise Cain would stop him from going after Gordon. Robert pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts when he landed on the person he needed he hit the call button.

"Hey it's me. I need you to come and pick me up. I've got a job that needs doing and I need your help to do it."  Robert explained to the voice on the other end. He hung up after telling the voice on the other end where to collect him from. He was going to finish this once and for all, when he was finished with Gordon the vile monster wouldn't be able to cause Aaron any more pain.

"Aaron? Sweetheart? Can you hear me?" Chas asks as Aaron's start to open, his dazed and confused for a few minutes as he takes in his surroundings and the smell of disinfect nearly makes him heave.

"Yeah. I can hear you." Aaron replies looking at his mum he can see she's been crying and for a moment he's confused as to why and then he remembers what he did. It clicks he's in a hospital bed, he remembers Robert finding him and the conversation they had. He scans the room but sees that Robert is no where to be seen.

"Where's Robert? I need to see him." Aaron asks, Chas takes his hand and gives it a squeeze

"He's outside in the waiting room I'll go and get him." Paddy says leaving Aaron and Chas alone, an uncomfortable silence settled in the room.

"I'm sorry." Aaron whispered he couldn't bring himself to look at his mum out of guilt.

"Oh no baby, you have nothing to be sorry for!" Chas said getting up and hugging him, he winced slightly cause his whole body was hurting.

"I love you, I just wish you'd come and spoke to me instead of doing all of this! It's gonna be ok you know? Gordon is gonna get send down I promise you." Chas said wiping away the tears that had started falling down Aaron's face.

"You can't promise me that, not now. You heard what Liv said, he's got a recording of me and Robert talking about Ryan! He's going to use it and the whole court case is going to be destroyed! He's always going to win Mum, he's always gonna be able to hurt me." Aaron chocked out in between sobs. Chas just held onto him tightly as there was nothing she could say to make this better cause she knew deep down that Aaron was right, Gordon knowing about Robert paying Ryan  to lie about Gordon abusing him was going to derail the entire court case and for the first time in her life Chas had no idea how to fix this.

"Vic, where's Robert?" Paddy asked as he walked towards her in the waiting room and found her alone.

"I don't know, he left shortly after you and Chas went to see Aaron." Vic said trying to hide the fear in her voice as Cain and Adam on returning with drinks to find Robert gone had pretty much left straight away to go after him.

"Can you ask him to come back up? Aaron's asking for him." Paddy asked Vic just nodded and took out her phone shooting her brother a text and then shooting Adam a text to ask him what the hell was going on since she hadn't heard from anyone of them.

"What the hell are you playing at?!" Cain shouted at Robert, Cain and Adam had thankfully arrived at Gordon's just as Robert and his friend had got their, Cain had Robert pinned up against the car.

"I'm gonna make that scumbag pay for what he's done! Now let go of me."'Robert shouted back trying to push Cain away but Cain wasn't letting him go that easily.

"You think you're the only one that wants to kill Gordon right now? I'd quite happily go in their with you to kick his head in! But that's not what Aaron wants! He won't want you doing time for that scumbag, believe me this isn't gonna help Aaron and I know that's what you wanna do more than anything." Cain explained Robert looked at him shock painted on his face cause he didn't expect Cain to try and reason with him, he was hoping that Cain would help him sort Gordon out once and for all.

"Rob mate Vic's just texted. Aaron's awake, he's asking to see you." Adam piped up.

"Tell your mate to go home, leave Gordon and come back to the hospital with us. Aaron needs you with him right now not plotting to stave Gordon's head in!" Cain said, Robert just nodded he wanted Gordon's blood for all the pain he'd caused Aaron but Cain was right, as hard as that was for Robert to admit Aaron needed him right now! What Aaron didn't need was Robert getting locked up for attacking Gordon.

"Give me two minutes." Robert said Cain let go of him and Robert made his way over to his mate who was waiting patiently by his car.

"We doing this or what?" The bloke asked, Robert pulled out his wallet and gave him the money he'd promised him.

"No. But you can have the money I promised anyway." Robert explained

"Whatever." The bloke shrugged and got into his car before driving off, Robert walked back towards Cain's car where he found Adam and Cain already seated in the car waiting for him.

"Right, let's go and see Aaron." Cain said as he turned on the engine once Robert was seated and belted into the car and he made the journey back to the hospital. Robert was silent the entire ride back, he just stared out the window his head was wrecked with everything that had happened, part of him wanting to text the bloke and tell him to give Gordon that kick in without him but he knew it would come back on them just like the Ryan thing had, he'd done enough damage to Aaron's court case as it was and he had never felt more guilty cause Aaron being in a hospital bed right now wasn't just because of Gordon, Robert carried some of the blame for what had happened cause if he hadn't have paid Ryan Liv wouldn't have been able to give Gordon that piece of evidence to the destroy the court case! Robert just looked out of the window tears falling down his face the guilt was eating away at him and he didn't think he'd ever be able to forgive himself for what he's put Aaron through and he honestly didn't think Aaron would ever forgive him either.

"Hey." Robert said as he popped his head around the door, Aaron was asleep and Chas and Paddy were sat by his bed, Chas got up and pushed Robert outside shutting the door behind them.

"Where the hell have you been?" Chas asked and Robert just sighed

"Guessing your Cain hasn't filled you in." Robert said leaning against the wall.

"Filled me on what? Robert, what have you done?" Chas asked concern in her voice, her and Robert would never be friends but Aaron cared about him so Chas had to care too.

"I went after Gordon, I wanted to kill him Chas! After seeing Aaron like that knowing that he'd caused it I wanted to break every bone in Gordon's body. Cain managed to talk me down before I did anything stupid. " Robert explained

"Well I'm glad he did, last thing our Aaron needs is you up in court on a murder charge! I'm never gonna like you Robert make no mistake about that but our Aaron cares for you and he needs you around as much as I wish he didn't." Chas said as the door opened.

"He's awake and asking for you." Paddy explained pointing in Robert's direction.

"We'll go and get a coffee and leave you to two, don't upset him." Chas explained as she and Paddy left to go and find some decent coffee. Robert sighed and took a couple of deep breaths before he walked into the room. Aaron looked really pale and fragile and it broke Robert's heart to see him like this.

"Hey." Aaron said as Robert walked in closing the door behind him, Aaron tried to pull himself into the sitting position but his whole body was hurting he winced when he tried to move. Robert made his way over to the bed.

"Here let me help you." Robert said helping Aaron into the sitting position Aaron just stared at him before pulling into a kiss. Robert placed his hands either side of Aaron's face and deepening the kiss.  
   
"Please don't ever do that again, I can't bare it. I thought I'd lost you." Robert whispered against Aaron's lips tears falling from his eyes. Aaron used his hand to wipe them away.

"I won't. I'm sorry. Robert what I said earlier, I meant it. I love you." Aaron said and Robert smiled against their lips kissing Aaron again.

"I love you too." Robert said he went to give Aaron another kiss but he quickly moved away when he heard a knock on the door, a nurse popped her head in.

"I've got a DS Wise here to see you Aaron." The nurse explained before DS Wise walked into the room Aaron and Robert could tell from his face that this wasn't a social visit.

"We need to talk."

 

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DS Wise has news that Aaron can't handle and Dr Harper tries to get through to her new patient and ends up coming with an idea that might just work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short and simple. sorry if it's not very good I tried my best.

Chapter 3

"Can I have a word with Aaron in private please?" DS Wise said and Robert breathed a silent sigh of relief that the detective hadn't come to speak to him about him paying Ryan which he took as I sign that DS Wise had no idea about it but he couldn't help the nervous feeling that settled in his stomach over the detective wanting a private word with Aaron.

"I'd feel better if he stayed." Aaron said grabbing Robert's hand Robert gave his hand a squeeze to reassure him that he wasn't going anywhere.

"OK the court have been informed about your attempt on your life this afternoon." DS Wise said as he took a seat in one of the chairs across from Aaron, Aaron shifted in the bed uneasy he didn't like the idea of a bunch of complete strangers knowing about what he's done.

"Why did you have to tell them? Why do they even need to know what I did? I mean it's nothing to do with the case!" Aaron said as he started to shake his emotions were all over the place he was still in a really bad place emotionally, Robert just stroked his fingers trying to calm him down.

"They had to be told because you're a witness Aaron, they have to be sure all witness in these sorts of cases are mentally well enough to give evidence. They've requested that you be sent to a psychiatric unit for an assessment to make you sure you are mentally well enough to give evidence against your father in court." DS wise explained.

"Well there's no way that's flaming happening! I'm not going to some nut house to sit in front of some quack doctor! I won't do it!" Aaron shouted at him and Chas came flying into the room at the sound of her son shouting.

"What's going on? Aaron, sweetheart what's the matter?" Chas asked before she noticed DS Wise was in the room.

"Aaron I'm sorry but you don't have a choice in the matter, it's an order from the court if you don't go they won't carry on with the case. The trial and the case are on hold till they have a written report saying you are mentally well enough to stand trial." DS Wise explained

"This is a joke! A complete and utter joke! Your telling me than unless Aaron goes and has the psych evaluation done the whole case is at a stand still?!" Robert shouted as it was turn to get angry while Aaron had gone from angry to upset and was in floods of tears.

"I truly am sorry but the court won't budge on the matter. They've sorted Aaron a place on a court approved psychiatric unit, when the hospital are happy that he's physically well enough to be discharged he'll be police escorted to the unit to undergo an evaluation. I know this isn't easy or what any of you want but this is the way things are I'm afraid." DS Wise replied, Robert was fighting back the urge to punch the detective in the face cause he sounded like this was all ok, that it was fine that a bunch of complete idiots who didn't even know or care about Aaron were deciding what Aaron had to do, it made his blood boil!

"Get out. Just get out." Aaron whispered through tear filled eyes, DS Wise didn't say anymore he just left the room. Chas and Robert looked at each other fora moment before turning their attention back to Aaron who was shaking violently.

"I can't do it, I can't do this... I need to get out of here." Aaron said trying to rip the iv out of his hand Robert just pulled his hand away.

"Aaron stop! Look at me." Robert said put Aaron wasn't listening he just kept pulling at all the wires on his body he needed to get away he had to get away he couldn't do this anymore he wouldn't do this anymore.  
"Aaron please, stop." Robert said taking Aaron's face in his hands and this time Aaron did stop and he looked into Robert's eyes.

"You can't save me... Nobody can save me... Just let me go... Please just let me go." Aaron whispered and tears fell from Robert's eyes cause he felt like Aaron had just ripped his heart out his chest.

"I'll save you Aaron, I'll save you or I'll die trying. I'm not giving up on you... I'm not giving up on us. Please don't give up on yourself, don't give up on us." Robert whispered back. Aaron just started to sob again and Robert wrapped his arms around him cradling him like he was a newborn baby.

"It's gonna be ok, we'll fix this. Together." Robert whispered kissing the top of Aaron's head, Chas walked over to the bed and took Aaron's hand squeezing it.

"We're all here with you baby. It's gonna be ok. We'll get you through this. We'll get through this together, all of us because we love you." Chas said giving Aaron a small smile Aaron didn't say anything he just kept sobbing into Robert's chest. Chas and Robert looked at each other and they both knew they were thinking the same thing "how on earth were they gonna fix this?"

"You're flaming joking! They can't do that surely!" Cain said angrily as Chas and Robert sat in the waiting room explaining to Cain, Adam, Vic and Paddy what DS Wise had said, they'd waited till they knew Aaron was sound asleep before slipping out to fill in the four that were waiting patiently for news.

"I spoke to a friend who works in the law, apparently they can and there isn't anything we can do to stop it. Once Aaron is physically well enough to be discharged he's gonna have to go to this psychiatric unit. If he doesn't go the court won't pursue the case any further since Aaron is there star witness." Robert explained.

"How does Aaron feel about all of this? I'm guessing he's not thrilled about the idea." Paddy asked.

"He doesn't want to go. He's in a bad place, a really bad place and it's terrifies me seeing my baby boy like this... I'm his mum I should be able to fix this. I should be able to make it all go away for him and I can't." Chas said having to stop mid sentence as she broke down in tears. She was living any mother's worst nightmare, her baby was in pain and there was nothing she could do to fix it. Victoria stood up to give her a hug since the men in the room didn't know what to do in this situation.

"We'll get him through this. All of us, we are gonna have to pull together and put our difference aside and focus on Aaron." Cain explained and the others nodded in agreement. It was gonna be a long hard road for everyone involved but it was gonna be even harder for Aaron and he was gonna need all the support he could get.

Present day

"I don't want to be here." Aaron spat at Dr Harper, she sighed. She'd tried to get him to open up about what had led to his latest attempt on his life the only things she knew about her new patient was his name, date of birth and about his history with self harming and his two suicide attempts and that he was involved in a court case where he'd accused his father of abusing him.

"I understand that Aaron, but you won't be allowed to leave here until I've finished my report which I can't do unless you talk to me. I know this must be hard for you having to open up and talk to a complete stranger about all the terrible things that have happened to you. But you are going to have to talk to me at some point cause the court want me to complete a psych evaluation to say you are mentally well enough to give evidence against your father." Dr Harper explained.

"I'm fine. I had a bad day that's all everybody has them, can I go home now?" Aaron said standing up Dr Harper just sighed.

"I'm not your enemy Aaron, I'm trying to help you here. And I'd say trying to kill yourself is a bit more than your typical bad day. You can't go home until the evaluation is complete and for me to be able to complete I need to start it which I can't do if you put up walls and keep me out." Dr Harper explained

"You can't save me." Aaron spat at her.

"Your right I can't, I wish I could but I don't have a magic wand. Only you can save you Aaron. Only you can save yourself by taking down your walls and allowing people to help you. Let me try my best to help you." Dr Harper asked, Aaron didn't say anything else just stormed out of the room, Kelly sighed and ran her hands through her hair, he was going to be a tricky case, her second trick case this week she thought to herself but then it clicked in her head as she grabbed another set of notes out of her bag. She had an idea, an idea that maybe just maybe might work.

"Can you do me a favour Joan? I've got an appointment with Aaron Livesy tomorrow afternoon can you make sure that Kenna Edwards is there as well? I'm going to be working with the two of them together." Dr Harper asked her receptionist as she stepped back into her office.

"Course I can, you sure that's a wise idea? They are both pretty difficult cases." The receptionist asked.

"I'm sure, I think they might just help each other."

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron meets Kenna for the first time and neither are keen on the the idea of Group therapy and Aaron has an unexpected visitor

Chapter 4

"Sorry, think I've got the wrong room." 

"If your seeing Dr Harper at 2, you've got the right room. Trust me." The girl says taking another drag of the cigarette she holds between her teeth, Aaron just stares at her lingering in the doorway.

"How do you know who I'm seeing?" Aaron asks her she still doesn't turn to face him just keep staring out of the window taking drags of her cigarette.

"Cause I'm seeing her too and I've got a funny feeling this is another one of her therapy techniques. She's tried it before putting two people who have been through the same crap in life together in an attempt to save us, didn't work the first fifty times she's tried and you can bet your sorry arse it won't work this time around." The girl says putting her cigarette out on the window sill before throwing it out of the window she finally turns to face Aaron and it gets a proper look at her. She can't be any more than 20, her fiery red hair has been shoved into a messy bun on top of her head, her eyes are piercing sapphire green as she stares at him giving him the once over like she's weighing him up.

"I'm Kenna and you are?" Kenna says staying at her place by the window sill, this is her comfort zone if things get too much she is not afraid of having to jump out of the window to make herself feel safe again not that Aaron knows that he knows nothing about her and she knows nothing about him.

"Aaron. You know there's a no smoking sign on the door right? Says no smoking anywhere in the building." Aaron points out trying to keep the conversation away from the real reason they are both in this tiny room cause he really doesn't want to tell a total stranger who he's barely known five seconds what happened to him and he's planning to make damn sure when Dr Harper arrives that he won't be sharing his life story with the girl in front of him and he doesn't want to know her life story either. He just wants all of this to be over and done with so he can go home and go back to his life.

"They won't let me go out for a fag anymore, they used to let me when I first arrived six months ago but I kept doing a runner and they got sick of having to drag me back so I'm not allowed out of the facility unless I have a nurse with me and those hard faced bitches won't take me for one cause apparently they don't have the time to take me for fag breaks cause they have important work to do like sitting on their arses drinking cups of tea and stuffing their cake holes with biscuits." Kenna spits out and Aaron chuckles slightly, she's got balls he'll give her that and she's rather upfront and to the point.

"I see you two have met." Aaron and Kenna turn their attention towards the door as Dr Harper steps into the tiny room and closes the door.

"Kenna what have I told you about smoking in here? You are meant to ask one of the nurses to take you outside when you want a cigarette." Dr Harper scolds her and if she wasn't annoyed about having to be here in the first place she was fuming now cause not only had this stupid bitch decided to put her with someone else again to try and get her to open up now she was scolding her like she was some little kid!

"Piss off, you know they won't take me! They'd rather sit on their arses doing nothing than take me outside for a fag, so I'm not gonna say sorry for smoking in this building when your staff won't take me. You don't want me to smoke indoors sort your staff out." Kenna spits at her before sitting herself back on the window sill urning her attention away from Dr Harper and Aaron putting her walls back up. Dr Harper sighs as she sits down, this isn't gonna be easy but after six months of working with Kenna she's learnt that things with Kenna can either be really good or really bad there was no in between and no way of knowing what you were gonna get and she'd after one session with Aaron noticed that the two had that in company, they put up walls to keep the rest of the world away and she hoped that maybe just maybe they'd be help to help each other through all of this in ways she knew she never could.

"I'll have a word, see what I can do about them not taking you out for a fag. They might take you if you weren't so rude to them Kenna, I've been told about you calling nurse Evans a fat cunt when she tried to give you your meds the other week." Dr Harper said as she took a seat Aaron's still stood up leaning uncomfortably on one of the chairs while Kenna is staring out of the window she just scoffs at Dr Harper's comment.

"She deserved it, stupid bitch." Kenna whispers under her breath.

"Well I'm assuming you two are wondering why I've got you both together for a session. I thought we could try group therapy alongside one to one therapy sessions." Dr Harper suggests and Kenna just scoffs again.

"No chance! That wasn't part of the deal, I'm supposed to be here to talk to you so you can tell the courts I'm mentally well enough to stand trial! Not to share what happened to me with some kid I don't know!" Aaron spat at her, he didn't like anything about any of this but he didn't have a choice he had to be here but he sure as hell wasn't doing group therapy he drew the line at that.

"I'm not a kid! And I've tried group therapy before! Didn't work the first fifty times you've tried it with me and it's not gonna work now. Get it into your thick head we aren't here by choice so why would we wanted to share our stories with each other when we don't want to share them with you? This is ridiculous! Is sharing our stories with each other supposed to be some miracle cure?! We share our stories and then we hold hands and sing happy upbeat songs cause the hell we've been through has been erased cause we shared our feelings!" Kenna says before getting up from the window sill leaving the room before Dr Harper can say anything else.

"This isn't about offering you both a cure, I thought about putting you two together cause I can see similarities between you both. I know you are only court ordered to talk to me so I won't force group therapy between you two if you are both set against it but I think you two really could help each other if you are both willing to try." Dr Harper says to Aaron, Aaron doesn't say anything just leaves the room. Kelly sighs and runs her hands over her face, 

"Aaron? You've got a visitor in the visitation room." One of the nurse says as he passed her on his way back to his room.

"Right thanks." Aaron says he wasn't expecting any visitors he'd kept in touch with Robert, Paddy and His mum via text and had told them he didn't want to see anyone while he was in this place so he was rather annoyed that one of them had come to see him.

"What are you doing here?!" Aaron says when he sees that it's Liv sat waiting for him, the two siblings haven't spoken to each other since Aaron had found about her spying for Gordon and he had no desire to speak to her.

"I had to see you. I need to talk to you." Liv said standing up, Aaron just sighed and went to leave the room.

"Aaron please, don't go! I'm sorry! I never meant to hurt you, you're my brother and I love you. Please let me explain." Liv says stopping Aaron in his tracks he lets out a sigh and sits down on one of the chairs.

"You've got five minutes and then I want you gone." Aaron said as Liv sat back down across from him.

"I know you probably hate me for spying on you, but please try to understand Aaron he's my dad nobody wants to believe that their dad is a monster. He sweet talked me and I feel for it, I just wanted to get to know him. I just wanted him to be my dad but he didn't want that, all he wanted was whatever information I could get for him. I'm truly sorry I betrayed your trust. I want to fix things between us, I know your telling the truth about dad. Please can we fix it? I don't want to lose you as my brother." Liv explained tears forming in her eyes and Aaron looked at his sister, yes he was angry at her for lying but he knew what Gordon was like so he could understand why she'd fallen for his lies and his charming good guy act that he gave everyone even though underneath he was a monster.

"I understand Liv, I know what he's like I'm just glad you realised what a monster he is before he could hurt you like he hurt me. No more lies hey? From now on we're straight with each other." Aaron said and Liv gave him a massive smile.

"I promise, I'll be straight with you from now on. I'm glad your my brother Aaron, I'd rather have an amazing brother like you than that monster as a dad." Liv said with a smile, Aaron stood up.

"Come here." Aaron said and Liv stood up and gave her brother a hug, she held him as tight as she could afraid to let go as she didn't want to lose him.

"Sorry darlin but you're gonna have to go now, visiting hours are over." One of the nurse said sticking her head round the door before leaving.

"Can I come back and see you?" Liv asked.

"Not while I'm in here Liv, I don't wanna see anybody while I'm stuck in here. But you can come and see me again once I'm back at home I promise." Aaron explained Liv just nodded and gave him another hug before making her way out of the room, Aaron let out a sigh and collapsed into the chair running his hands over his face, seeing Liv again hadn't been an easy task he was still hurting over her betrayal but she was still his kid sister he couldn't find it within himself to be mad at her.

"She's a lucky girl." Aaron's head snapped up when he heard a voice, he looked up and was met with Kenna stand next to him.

"Who's a lucky girl? What are you doing here anyway, spying on me?" Aaron asked.

"Don't flatter yourself, this place is a goldfish bowl I was just walking past when I saw you talking to your sister, I'm assuming she's your sister. If she is, she's lucky to have you. I'd have given anything to have a decent brother like you instead of the one I ended up with." Kenna said and she instantly regretted her choice of words and made her way quickly out of the room before Aaron could ask any questions. Aaron just watched her leave, his head was swimming with questions. He didn't know this girl and yet he found himself wanting to know more about her, maybe just maybe group therapy might not be such a bad thing after all. Maybe talking to someone else who'd been through the same hell as him was the key to him saving himself.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron gets a phone call from Robert and a thunder storm bring Aaron and Kenna one step closer together.

Chapter 5

Aaron had been staring at the ceiling of his room listening to the rain outside for what felt like forever when he started to feel his phone vibrating against his thigh. He pulled the phone from his pocket and saw Robert's name flashing on the screen he hit the accept call button and placed the phone to his ear.

"Well hello stranger, been trying to get hold of you for the past three days." Robert said and Aaron just sighed he'd been avoiding talking to everyone since his first meeting with Kenna and his conversation with Liv. He just wanted to be alone and that meant having to give his mum and his boyfriend the silent treatment and it had worried the hell out of Robert and Chas, they'd been on a knife edge waiting for a text or a phone call from Aaron just so they knew he was ok. They'd even thought about going against his wishes about visitors and were planning to go and see him if they hadn't hear off him by tomorrow.

"Sorry, just need to get my head together. Liv came to see me and it messed with my head. I'm sorry if I worried you." Aaron said sitting up on the bed, Robert just sighed cause it was so good to hear Aaron's voice even if he could hear how lost Aaron felt in his voice. He missed him so much he wished he could fix it all and make it all ok again.

"Didn't know Liv had been to see you, what did she say? Are you ok?" Robert asks and Aaron can hear the panic in his voice as he know what Liv did is the reason Aaron went over the edge and tried to kill himself.

"I'm fine. She came to say sorry and that she believes me, I didn't ask her about the recording. Have you heard anything from the police?" Aaron asks and Robert just sighs cause it's just like Aaron to be worrying about everything and anything apart from himself.

"Not heard anything yet, maybe Liv's managed to get the recording back from Gordon. I miss you, we all do. Me and your mum have been going out of our minds worrying the best few days not hearing from you." Robert explained and Aaron felt a twinge of guilt cause he could hear the worry in Robert's voice.

"I know I'm sorry, I just needed to get my head together. I'm fine though and I miss you too, I miss all of you. This place is driving me crazy! The therapist is getting on my nerves as well she's decided to do group therapy so she's paired me off with this girl to try and get us both to open up about our pasts which ain't happening cause I don't like talking about what happened with all of you never mind a totally stranger. I just want it all to be over, I just wanna come home. I wanna sleep in my own bed with you sleeping next to me." Aaron explained with a sigh.

"I know, it'll be over soon and then you can have me in your bed whenever you want. I could come and see you tomorrow if you wanted? Really want to see you, it's been far too long since I last held you in my arms and kissed those lips of yours." Robert said and Aaron was pretty sure Robert was smirking on the other end of the phone.

"Yeah I'd like that, I know I asked you all to stay away but I think if I'm gonna get through this I'm gonna need you all around me for support." Aaron said rolling over on his side so he was looking out the window he could see that the rain was crashing against the glass.

"I'll come about twelve tomorrow, do you want me to bring your mum with me?" Robert asked.

"No, come on your own. I'm not ready to see mum just yet."

"Ok I'll see you tomorrow, I've gotta go babe sweet dreams, I love you." Robert said and Aaron chuckled.

"Don't call me babe, you're such a girl. Love you too sweetie, sweet dreams." Aaron said before hanging up as he heard thunder crashing outside. Great a storm, just what he needed there was no way he was gonna be able to sleep with the weather being like this, not that he slept very well these days anyway. Aaron got up from the bed and went over the close the door when the sound of singing stopped him in his tracks.

"She's singing world shut your mouth, shut your mouth, put your head back in the clouds and shut your mouth."

Aaron followed the voice and found himself outside of Kenna's room, Kenna was sat on the bed with the door open she was hugging her knees and tears were falling fast she just kept singing she didn't even notice Aaron was there till he cleared his throat.

"You ok?" Aaron asked leaning against the door frame as Kenna quickly wiped away her tears.

"Not really no but since when do you care? Just leave me alone." Kenna said, another crash of thunder made her jump and Aaron could see what the problem was.

"Not a fan of storms I take it, is that why your singing? To distract yourself?" Aaron asked Kenna just nodded.

"Would you mind sitting with me? Just till the storm passes? I don't like being alone during storms." Kenna asked, Aaron just nodded and closed the door behind him before going to sit next to Kenna on the bed.

“How come you don't like storms? I mean they aren't that bad.” Aaron asked

“Let's just say something nasty happened to me during a thunder storm when I was a kid so now every time there is a thunder storm all I can think about is what happened.” Kenna explained hugging her knees tighter as another crash of thunder echoed through the room.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” Aaron asked Kenna just shook her head before almost jumping out of her skin as another loud crash of thunder echoed through the room.

“Not today... not ever.” Kenna whispered tears falling from her eyes, Aaron didn't push it any further cause he could tell that whatever it was that had terrified her was still pretty raw for her. 

“Do you always sing that song during thunder storms?” Aaron asked changing the subject

“Yeah. My dad used to sing it when I was younger, think it's my only good memory of him when he wasn't drinking and being an abusive arsehole.” Kenna said whispering the last part under her breath but Aaron still heard her, he pulled his knees up so he could rest his head on his legs.

“They say that our brains remember the bad things that have happened to us more than it remembers the good. That song is the only good thing I remember about my dad, the rest is just pain. I remember my brother Chris singing that song to me during a thunder storm and that's why I still sing it. I remember him holding me close and singing that song in my ear. One song is the only good memories I have of either of them. The rest are just horrific.” Kenna explained tears running down her face, Aaron turned his head so he was looking at her, he could see lines on her face that the tears she'd been crying had made. He sat in silence studying her and he honestly couldn't begin to understand how someone so young could have so much pain bottled up but then it hit him as he kept staring at her that he had the same amount of pain bottled up inside of him. They were both broken in different ways.

“Sorry, forget I said anything. You can go now, the storm is dying down.” Kenna said jumping up from the bed trying to get away from Aaron, she'd let her walls down and was now regretting it and Aaron just sighed cause god this girl in front of him was like him staring at himself in the mirror expect the image looking back at him was female rather than male.

“I can stay. I don't mind. I don't sleep much any more, company would be nice if you don't mind me staying that is?” Aaron suggested Kenna just stared at him for a moment before sitting on the floor across from him.

“I can't remember the last time I actually had someone ask for my company... People usually spend a few minutes with me and then they make some bullshit excuse to leave and they never come back cause apparently I'm too much of a fucked up bitch for people to deal with or maybe it's because I push people away so they can't hurt me.” Kenna explained and Aaron chuckled.

“I push people away, the ones that care about me I push them away. I tried recently to push this bloke who really cares about me away but he won't go, no matter how hard I push he just keeps coming back.” Aaron said with a sigh.

“Sounds like he really loves you if he's not prepared to give up on you, is this bloke your boyfriend?” Kenna asked playing with her fingers.

“Yeah, yeah he is. He's coming to see me tomorrow.” Aaron answered and Kenna smiled at him.

“Ooh check you, come on then if your staying in here with me you've got give me all the juicy details about this bloke of yours. What's his name?” Kenna asked.

“Robert, his name's Robert. And honestly me and him is one complicated story.” Aaron said with a sigh, Kenna looked at the clock on the wall before turning her attention back to Aaron.

“I've got time.” Kenna said with a smirk and Aaron just sighed.  
“Another time. I'm gonna go to bed.”

“Of course, you've got look all nice and refreshed when Robert comes tomorrow, but I'm not letting this drop. I will get all the juicy details from you.” Kenna said with a smirk Aaron just threw a pillow at her before getting off the bed

“Aaron... thanks for tonight. It meant a lot.” Kenna said as Aaron made his way to the door.

“Night Kenna.” Aaron said giving her a small smile.

“Night Aaron.” Kenna replied as Aaron made his way back to his own room. Aaron collapsed onto his bed and lay looking up at the celling, he still had a long way to go before he felt like he'd be ready to open up about what had happened to him but the more time he spent with Kenna, the more curious he became about what had happened to her. She was a puzzle, a puzzle he was desperate to solve.


End file.
